Automatic hydrant control



Jan; 15, 1929. 1,699,182

E. O. DICKEY AUTOMATIC HYDRANT CONTROL Filed Dec. 1927 Patented Jan. 15, 1929.

UNITED STATES ESTEL O. DIGKEY, OF ADAIR, IOWA.

AUTOMATIC HYDR ANT CONTROL.

Application filed December 5, 1927. Serial No. 237,750.

The purpose of my invention is to provide an automatic hydrant control of simple, durable, and comparatively inexpensive construction. a

A further object of my invention is to provide a. control of this character for a hydrantused to till tanks, the level of the water in the tank actuating the control for shutting oil the hydrant when the water reaches a predetermined level in the tank.

Still a further object is to provide my device in the form of a lever to be attached to the hydrant and spring actuated to control the operating handle of the hydrant.

More specifically it is my object to provide for the lever a latch mechanism adapted to be tripped by a float arm mounted on the hydrant and actuated by a float in the tank to which the water from the hydrant flows.

lVith these and other objects in view my invention consists in the construction, ar-

rangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Although the invention is susceptible of a variety of embodiments, it is unnecessary to fully describe and illustrate more than one in order to give a full understanding of the invention both from its structural and functional. standpoints. Accordingly, I have illustrated a preferred and desirable embodiment of the invention in the accompanying; drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a hyd 'ant showing my improved control device attached thereto.

lligure 2 a side elevation of the same showing;- the relation of the hydrant and my control to a tank into which water is discharged from the hydrant.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the hydrant with my control connected thereto; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 2 and illustrates the latch mechanism for holding the control in inoperative position.

On farms which are notired for electricity, it is common to use wind power fol-"pumping water-into an elevated sto age tank and then using this water for watering cattle etcl, by discharging it into a tank. A hydrant is used for the purpose of controlling: the water and since-Wind power is unreliable and may not sometimes be sufficient, it is very necessary to conserve the supply of water. Furthermore in some localities water is rather scarce and therefore there is a still greater need for its conservation.

When the tank is being filled it is necessary tor an operator to open the valve of the hydrant and then stay by the hydrant until the tank is filled so that he can shut it off at the proper time. If he should leave it for any length of time he may get back too late and some of the water would spill over the sides of the tank and be wasted. It is theretorethe primary purpose of my invention to provide an automatic control which will move the operating handle of the hydrant to closed position when the water in the tank has reached a. predetermined height.

()11 the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate a stock watering tank. A hydrant Aadjacent the tank 10 serves as a. means of control for admitting water 12 to the tank and shutting ell the flow of this water when the tank is filled. The hydrant A is connected by suitable piping 1a to the water storage tank and the piping 14: is usually underground.

The hydrant A comprises a spout 16, an op erating handle 18 pivoted at 20 to-an upstanding arm 22 on the hydrantwhich is bifurcated at its upper end to receive the handle 18. An undergroundvalve (not shown) is included in the pipe line 14 and is controlled by a valve rod 24. The rod 24 is connected by a link as to the handle 18. In operation the rod A l is slid downwardly through the hydrant A to close the valve in which position the handle 18 will be lowered as indicated in dotted lines in Figure of the drawings. hen the handle 18 is raised into the full line position, the rod 24 has been slid uym'ardly to open the hydrant valve thereby allowing water to flow into the tank 10.

My hydrz'int control isin the form of an at tachinent comprising a bracket 28 clamped to the spout 16 of the hydrant by a bolt 30. The bracket comprises a pair of arms spaced by a spacer sleeve 32 which is clamped between them by abolt 3a and nut 35. The upper ends of the arms of the b 'acket 28 are perforated as indicated at 36 the purpose of which will hereinafter be described. The nut from the bolt 20 is removed and a lever 38 having an opening between its ends is pivoted on the bolt 20 after which the nut is replaced. If necessary a longer bolt may be substituted for the bolt 20. The lever 88 e2; tends forwardly between the arms of the bracket 28 as clearly illustrated in full lines in Figure 2 of the drawings. The other end of the lever 38 extends rearwa-rdly and 1s provided with a hook 40 adapted attimes to engage the handle 18. A clamp 42 1s bolted by a bolt 44 to the pipe is and a spring ll has one end. hooked to the bolt id and its other end hooked through an opening 48 formed in the lever 38 adjacent the hook d0.

Pivotally mounted through the opening-36 in one of the arms of the bracket 28 is a latch finger 50. Pivotally illOl'llltQtl in the opening 36 ofthe other arm a catch member 52 ha viiig a hook portion 54 adapted to swing over the free end of the linger 50 as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 4t.

Securely clamped on the bolt Eel is a bracket 56.. A nut 58 on the bolt 3% serves to hold the bracket- 56 in position. Pivoted to the bracket 56 by means of a pivot bolt 59 is a float arm 60. The floatarm (50 has an upper end portion 62 adapted to extend over the catch member 52 as shown in Figure 2. The lower end of the float arm 60 has secured to it a float member 64.

Practical 0 paint .5 on.

In the operation of my device the hook end 40 of the lever 88 is raised against the action of the spring 46. The latch finger 50 is allowed to rest on the opposite end of the lever 38 and the latch member 52 is moved to the dotted line position shown in Figure 4 for thus locking the arm 38 in raisedposition. It is assumed that the water level in the tank 10 low enough to prevent the end 62 ot the arm 60 frolntouching the latch member 52.

The hydrant A is now opened by raising the lever 18 so that water will flow into the tank 10. The operator may now leave the hydrant and when the level of the water rises to the indicated line 66 in l igure 2, the end 62 of the iloatarm lowers the catch member 52 to the full line position in Figure l thus releasing the finger 50 and allowing the forward end of the lever 38 to raise to the dotted line position of Figure The hook 40 engages the handle 18 and lowers it as illustrated thus shutting oh the supply of water and preventing the tank from overflowing,

In order to ad ust the device so that the hydrant may be shut oil at any desired level of the water in the tank 10 the nut 58 may be loosened and the bracket 56 slightly rotated to any desired position.

Some changes may be made in the details of the construction and arrangement of the parts of the device without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims,

any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be rein sonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination with ahydrant having a valve operating handle, a bolt on which said handle is pivoted and a tank adjacent said hydrant adapted to receive water therefrom, of a control device comprising a lever pivoted to said pivot bolt, means on said lever to engage said handle, a spring .ecured to said hydrant and to said lever, a bracket mounted on the spout of said hydrant, a latch mechanism for said lever and carried l'iysaid bracket and comprising a pivoted latch tinger, a pivoted catch adapted to Qiljl 'tttlG therewith and a float controlled arm for moving said catch out of engagen entwith said linear whereby said lever is free to move said handle.

2. The combination .vith a hydrant having; a valve operating handle, a bolt on which said handle is pivoted and a tank adjacent said hydrant adapted to receive water therefrom, of a control device comprising: a lever pivoted. to said pivot bolt, means on said lever to eneaae said handle, a spring secured to said h alrantand to said lower, a bracket mounted on the spout ot' said hydrant, a latch mrchanism tor said lever and carried by said bracket and comprising a ,ph oted latch linger, a pivoted catch adapted to engage therewith, afloat arm adapted to coact with said catch and trip the same, a lioaton said arm for. actuating the arm according to the water level in said tank whereby the lever will close the hydrant at a predetermined time.

3. The combination with a hydrant having; a valve operating handle and a tank adjacent said hydrant adapted to receive water theretroi'n, oi? a control device comprising; a lever having a portion adapted to engage said handle, spring operated means "for moving said lever and thereby said handle to closed pos' tion, latch mechanism adapted to maintain said lever inoperative and float controlled means tor imfllflllllg said latch mecha nism inoperative.

d. The combination with a hydrant having a valve o ierating handle and a tank adjacent said hydrant adapted to receive water therefrom, of a control device con'iprising a lever havin z'a portion adapted to eng: said handie, spring operated means for moving said lever and thereby said handle to closed position, latch mechanism adapted to maintain said lever inoperative against the action of said spring, a float arm QClHPl'P/Cl to coact with said latch mechanism and a float adapted to be actuated by the rising water level in said tank whereby the float arm at a predetermined time will trip said latch mechanism and thereby allow said love to move the h vdrant handle to closed position.

ESTEL O. DTCKEY.

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